Chris Boonzaier

Hi Chip, thanks for the overview. I will be posting a buch of Leib Regiment Photos/Uniform studies soon. Best Chris

Hi, are his cuffs not wrong for the Leib Regt?

You can scratch "Copy" on it ?

Hi, This is about as good a shot as possible of the boards... can anyone guess the unit? Photo taken in München. I dont think it is a crown on the boards... looks a bit like a "T"

I think it is very possible that Officers had non Combat items in their quarters out of the direct combat zone. I have seen photos of Army and LW officers with daggers in occupied areas.

Hi, I thought maybe the color had somehow flaked off the Kokade. a tiny possibility that it is an 8 obscured by a fold in the board, so either a 3 or an 8

Hi, Does this look like 3rd Pionier Battalion? Thanks Chris

Have picked up a few, will be bidding on more :-)

That is a beautiful piece indeed!!! Modern medal makers could learn a thing or two looking at an award like that!

Hi Paul, They are a bit more expensive, that is true, but these are scarce as well and not expensive... Small Baden Golden Verdienst Medal on a war ribbon, about 400 awards and the Würt. Service cross with swords, about 2300 award... The latter has 3 times less awards than a Knights cross, but will only set you back about EUR250 for a loose one...

I.E. "Are you guys from the 2nd Zug? Müller... ist that you?"

A very fine Helmet indeed... Is the unit 10/128 ? I find the red stripe to be very open to guessing... and really dont buy the wound theory... It is possible that it was simply done within a single Battalion of a certain regiment and we will never find the reason behind them. My guess, based on assumption but hopefully just as valid as anyone elses, is that it was used for identification within a unit? Either to show which part of the unit....Maybe 1st section one stripe, 2nd section two, etc... Or the function of the wearer... Grenade throwers one stripe, Messengers two stripes etc (Once gasmasks were being worn a Junior officer would have trouble picking out the functions of his men ? So it would have been much easier if he knew one stripers carried messages, two stripers were MG08/15 team, etc. etc...

That Northwest medal is fantastic. Conjours up visions of Lumberjacks, Plaid shirts, Tundra, Never melting ice, Monty Python songs and Eskimo Nell. By which I mean, sky is the limit as far as fantasy goes ... almost exotic.

The flip side of the coin.... if someone were to fake a bar this well... would be make such a howling error and leave off the Hindie for an unofficial medal? I think that may just be even more unlikey than a Vet not having it put on?

Hi, do any of our French members know which British gallantry awards were made by French makers in WW1 and WW2 ? Either for French awardees, Stationed troops or a collectors market. I am thinking Military Cross, MM, DCM... Thanks Chris

I suppose it is technically possible, but veeeery unusual... the Treuedienst Ehrenzeichen was introduced in 1938... So he was still kicking around without having applied for the Hindie (even more unusual as he was an official) and he also still has the unofficial Red White and black ribonned medal on it?

Live with it or go elsewhere. Your second sentence in the second post was a simple insult, nothing to do with objective discussion.

I suggest keeping personal attacks out of posts, insults as well.

When I see folks laying out EUR7000 for a knights cross which was awarded 7300 times... I think on one hand that Imperial is Undervalued... and thank god for that! Or Knights Crosses are simply overvalued... Whatever... Lets see what you have that is rarer than a Knights Cross... and by how much! Bavarian Gold Bravery medal.... 7 times rarer than a Knights Cross of the Iron Cross... Many of our "normal" awards, even simple ones, are rarer than a RK... Anyone know how many Lübeck Crosses were awarded?

Does he have a MG badge under it?

What a nice group to have, and the Info from Jerome really rocks! Thanks for an interesting thread guys!

That is very unusual.... I would have thought that if he recieved the Olympic medla, he would have been sure to already have a Hindenburg? Nice Bar!

Hi, Itr is the kind of thing usually found on Photoalbum covers or other patriotic items. Best Chris

Hi, is there any mention of participents or other officers who were present at the Festtags booklet? I am still looking for more info on my guy... Thanks Chris

An article about the Military corner of a mental asylum. The asylum was partially for the criminally insane... but also for the mentally damaged war veterans and for those who had brain injuries.... e desolate corner of the cemetary where even the name plaques were removed at some stage.... http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2014/08/21/1937551-a-cadillac-les-tombes-oubliees-du-cimetiere-des-fous.html